East Village Loft

The East Village is New York City’s original gentrification story. The transformation of its low-slung landmarked buildings from tenements to tony is now almost 20 years old. From the Anthology Film Archives to Ukrainian diners to Italian bakeries, its side streets bear the remembrance of things past, but you will also find some of the most exciting new restaurants and nightlife here. In this exquisite book-lined one bedroom loft on Tompkins Square Park, history meets the sunny charm of contemporary New York.

In the early twentieth century, this landmarked building served as an orphanage and a school for wayward boys. Today, the steel door opens into a time capsule of the East Village’s countercultural heyday. Corinthian steel pillars adorn an open-plan space filled with antique furniture and the unique imprints of your host’s artistic friends.

Relax on the leather sofa in front of the exposed brick fireplace, or admire the eclectic collection of antique prints and photographs. A cast-iron stove and butcher-block counters in the kitchen enliven the preparation of an easy meal. A cosy study is one for the books, filled with volumes detailing New York arcana and fitted with ornate cabinetry and a desk of cherry wood.

The bathroom has its own asymmetrical charm, with a column in the middle of the shower and exposed brass piping. After a day out in the city, the soothing light blue of the minimally decorated bedroom will relax your senses. The rest is history!

Ready to return to the here and now? Take a stroll through the East Village. Sip a handcrafted coffee from Ninth Street Espresso in Tompkins Square Park, or experience the vanguard of New York’s foodie scene at David Chang’s Momofuku Ko. A visit to the Lower East Side Tenement museum will provide a glimpse of the area’s past, or stroll through time and learn about the neighbourhood’s countercultural history on a local walking tour.

Interested? Take a look at onefinestay and you can live here if only for a few days.

A former warehouse was transformed into this modern loft in Brussels, Belgium by SHSH architects. The goal was to create an experience of colors and textures – on a limited budget. The concept revolved around the loft as ‘the ocean’ and constructed elements (kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom) as ‘the islands’.

In the heart of Mount Pleasant’s brewery district, just a short walk away from a variety of restaurants and breweries, you’ll find the Mecca. This double-height, Insane Vancouver Loft is most probably the largest unit in the building.